175 articles - From Saturday Dec 25 2021 to Friday Dec 31 2021
Guidelines, position statements, white papers, technical reviews, consensus statements, etc…
| Endoscopy |
Therapeutic endoscopic ultrasound: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Guideline. Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 8: ESGE suggests that endoscopic ultrasound-directed transgastric ERCP (EDGE) can be offered, in expert centers, to patients with a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass following multidisciplinary decision-making, with the aim of overcoming the invasiveness of laparoscopy-assisted ERCP and the limitations of enteroscopy-assisted ERCP. Weak recommendation, low quality evidence. |
| Hepatology |
Overdiagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma: Prevented by guidelines? Overdiagnosis can occur for several different reasons including inaccurate diagnostic criteria, detection of premalignant or very early malignant lesions, detection of indolent tumors, and competing risks of mortality. The risk of overdiagnosis is partly mitigated, albeit not eliminated, by several guideline recommendations, including definitions for the at-risk population in whom surveillance should be performed, surveillance modalities, surveillance interval, recall procedures, and HCC diagnostic criteria. Continued research is needed to further characterize the burden and trends of overdiagnosis as well as identify strategies to reduce overdiagnosis in the future. |
meta-analyses and systematic reviews
| Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol |
| Gastroenterology |
Clinical and Endoscopic Characteristics Associated With Post-Endoscopy Upper Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. There is a substantial delay in the diagnosis of PEUGIC. They are less likely to present with alarm symptoms than detected cancers. PEUGICs are overall less advanced at diagnosis. Most patients with PEUGIC have abnormalities reported at the preceding "cancer-negative" EGD. The epidemiology of PEUGIC may inform preventive strategy. |
| Gastrointest Endosc |
Diagnostic and therapeutic yields of early capsule endoscopy and device-assisted enteroscopy in the setting of overt gastrointestinal bleeding: a systematic review with meta-analysis. The role of small-bowel studies in the early evaluation of OGIB is unquestionable, impacting diagnosis, therapeutic and prognosis. Comparative studies are still needed to identify the best timings. |
| Gut |
Efficacy of biological therapies and small molecules in moderate to severe ulcerative colitis: systematic review and network meta-analysis. In a network meta-analysis, upadacitinib 45 |
| Hepatology |
Risk of HBV reactivation during therapies for HCC: A systematic review. Liver decompensation and death were rarely reported (0%-3%) and only in patients receiving HCC treatment with high HBV reactivation risk. HBsAg-positive patients with HCC are at high or intermediate risk of HBV reactivation depending on the type of HCC therapy. Nucleos(t)ide analogue prophylaxis reduces the risk of HBV reactivation, practically eliminates the risk of hepatitis flare, and should be administered regardless of HCC treatment. |
| Inflamm Bowel Dis |
Meta-Analysis of IBD Gut Samples Gene Expression Identifies Specific Markers of Ileal and Colonic Diseases. We highlighted that, overall, colonic CD resembles UC and is distinct from ileal CD, which is in turn closer to pouchitis. We demonstrated that ileal and colonic diseases exhibit specific signatures, independent of their initial clinical classification. This supports molecular, rather than clinical, disease stratification, and may be used to design drugs specifically targeting ileal or colonic diseases. |
Microscopic Colitis Is Associated With a Reduced Risk of Colorectal Adenoma and Cancer: A Meta-Analysis. The present systematic review indicated that patients with MC may be associated with a lower risk of colorectal adenoma or cancer. The clinical data support the current professional society guideline. A surveillance colonoscopy program is not recommended as standard for patients with MC. |
| J Crohns Colitis |
Anogenital Crohn's Disease and Granulomatosis: A Systematic Review of Epidemiology, Clinical Manifestations, and Treatment. We provide an illustrative summary of the clinical presentation and treatment effectiveness of this rare, under-recognised condition, and a proposed algorithm for approach and management. Prospective studies with longer follow-up are required to define optimal treatment strategies. |
| Neurogastroenterol Motil |
Post-operative anorectal manometry in children with Hirschsprung disease: A systematic review. This systematic review demonstrated the lack of high-quality evidence underlying the current understanding of post-operative anorectal motility in children with HD. There was little consistency in reported manometry outcomes between studies. In future work, emphasis must be placed on the application of standardized manometry protocols, cohort reporting, and patient outcome assessments. |
RCT, clinical trials, retrospective studies, etc…
| Aliment Pharmacol Ther |
A nationwide cohort study of the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in Sweden from 1990 to 2014. The lifetime risk of IBD was about 2.5% for both sexes. In Sweden, the incidence of IBD in al subtypes increased in 1990-2001 but has since declined. One in 40 individuals is expected to be diagnosed with IBD during their lifetime. |
Incidence, outcomes, and impact of COVID-19 on inflammatory bowel disease: propensity matched research network analysis. We observed no increase in risk for COVID-19 amongst patients with IBD or risk for de novo IBD after COVID-19 infection. We confirmed prior observations regarding the impact of steroid use on COVID-19 severity in patients with IBD. |
Longitudinal association of magnetic resonance elastography-associated liver stiffness with complications and mortality. Increased MRE-associated liver stiffness was associated with increased risk for HCC, decompensation and mortality in a dose-dependent fashion but not with MACE or extrahepatic cancer, implicating a significant role for MRE in liver-related events and mortality; however, further studies are warranted to explore its role in MACE and extrahepatic cancer. |
Ustekinumab levels in pregnant women with inflammatory bowel disease and infants exposed in utero. Median time of infant ustekinumab clearance was 9 (range 6-19) weeks (n = 9). Ustekinumab drug levels appear stable in pregnancy, with a delivery infant:maternal ratio similar to that of anti-TNFs. Infant ustekinumab clearance was complete by 20 weeks post-partum, however, infants exposed in utero should avoid live vaccination before 12 months of age until further clearance data are obtained. |
| Am J Clin Nutr |
Assessing the impact of replacing foods high in saturated fats with foods high in unsaturated fats on dietary fat intake among Canadians. This food-based substitution modeling analysis suggests that consumption of SFA would be below 10%E in Canada if al Canadians adhered to the 2019 CFG recommendation that foods that contain mostly UFA should replace foods that contain mostly SFA. |
Associations of longitudinal trajectories in body roundness index with mortality and cardiovascular outcomes: a cohort study. We observed similar associations for myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. The association between BRI trajectories and CVD was more prominent in subjects aged < 55 y. BRI trajectories were significantly associated with the risk of CVD, and the association was more evident in younger adults. |
Associations of maternal birth weight, childhood height, body mass index and change in height and body mass index from childhood to pregnancy with risks of preterm delivery. Maternal birth weight, childhood height and BMI are associated with very and moderate preterm delivery, although in different patterns. Consistent short stature is associated with very and moderate preterm delivery, whereas normalizing BMI from childhood to pregnancy may reduce risks of very preterm delivery. |
Body composition data show that high body mass index centiles over-diagnose obesity in children aged under 6 years. Raised fat levels are much less common at young compared to older ages, and young children with a high BMI centile have lower FMI than older children with the same BMI centile. Current BMI centile cut-offs thus over-diagnose obesity in younger groups. More stringent cut-offs are required for children under 6 years, matching the World Health Organization recommendation for 0-5 years. |
Dietary and plasma levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids in childhood and adolescence in relation to asthma and lung function up to adulthood. High dietary intake of certain n-6 PUFA in childhood or adolescence may be associated with increased risk of asthma up to young adulthood, while dietary biomarkers of certain n-3 and n-6 PUFA in plasma may be associated with decreased risk. Thus, the role of diet versus altered metabolism of PUFA needs further investigation to improve dietary preventive strategies of asthma. |
No additional benefit of prescribing a very low-protein diet in patients with advanced Chronic Kidney Disease under regular nephrology care: a pragmatic, randomized, controlled trial. This long-term pragmatic trial found that in CKD patients under stable nephrology care, adherence to protein restriction is low. Prescribing sVLPD versus standard LPD was safe but does not provide additional advantage to the kidney or patient survival. |
Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid biomarkers and sleep: a pooled analysis of cohort studies On behalf of the Fatty Acids and Outcomes Research Consortium (FORCE). Participants with higher levels of very long-chain n-3 PUFAs were less likely to have long sleep duration. While objective biomarkers reduce recall bias and misclassification, the cross-sectional design limits assessment of the temporal nature of this relationship. These novel findings across 12 cohorts highlight the need for experimental and biological assessments of very long-chain n-3 PUFAs and sleep duration. |
Replacing meat with alternative plant-based products (RE-MAP): a randomized controlled trial of a multicomponent behavioral intervention to reduce meat consumption. A behavioral program involving free meat substitutes can reduce meat intake and change psychosocial constructs consistent with a sustained reduction in meat intake. |
Total, animal and plant protein intake and pneumonia mortality in the Japan public health center-based prospective study. In the multivariable-adjusted model and in the model further adjusted for fatty acid intake, increase in total protein intake was marginally significantly associated with lower pneumonia mortality in women (lowest vs highest quartile, HR [95%CI]: 0.71 [0.53, 0.97], Ptrend 0.01 in the multivariable-adjusted model; and 0.70 [0.45, 1.06], Ptrend 0.05 in the fatty acid intake-adjusted model). Total protein intake in men, and animal and plant protein intake in both men and women were not significantly associated with pneumonia mortality in the fatty acids-adjusted model. Although HR in the highest quartile was not significant and further research to determine the upper limit of recommended protein intake is required, higher total protein intake was associated with lower pneumonia mortality in women. |
| Am J Gastroenterol |
Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Extra-Hepatic Manifestations: A Systemic Disease. Although not completely understood, underlying mechanisms include HBV-induced local and systemic inflammation. Suppression of HBV replication usually improves extrahepatic manifestations. This review will discuss how HBV induces inflammation and the extrahepatic manifestations of HBV infection to guide clinical management. |
Race/Ethnicity and Birthplace as Risk Factors for Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia in a Multiethnic United States Population. We found that Hispanics born outside the United States were at increased risk of GIM, whereas Hispanics born in the United States were not, independent of Helicobacter pylori infection. Birthplace may be more informative than race/ethnicity when determining GIM risk among US populations. |
The MELD Score Is Superior to the Maddrey Discriminant Function Score to Predict Short-Term Mortality in Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis: A Global Study. These results suggest that the mDF score should no longer be used to assess AH's prognosis. The MELD score has the best performance in predicting short-term mortality. |
Updates on Age to Start and Stop Colorectal Cancer Screening: Recommendations From the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer. This recommendation is based on the increasing disease burden among individuals under age 50, emerging data that the prevalence of advanced colorectal neoplasia in individuals ages 45 to 49 approaches rates in individuals 50 to 59, and modeling studies that demonstrate the benefits of screening outweigh the potential harms and costs. For individuals ages 76 to 85, the decision to start or continue screening should be individualized and based on prior screening history, life expectancy, CRC risk, and personal preference. Screening is not recommended after age 85. |
Validation of the Endoscopic Part of the Spigelman Classification for Evaluating Duodenal Adenomatosis in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis: A Prospective Study of Interrater and Intrarater Reliability. The results support continued use of the Spigelman classification as the primary end point for future studies and as key endoscopic performance measure. |
| Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol |
Associations of Food Intolerance with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Psychological Symptoms, and Quality of Life. Food intolerance is associated with IBS, anxiety, depression, and decreased health-related QOL and frequently leads to food elimination. Adults with lactose and lactose plus food intolerance have higher rates of IBS, increased psychological symptoms, and poorer QOL. |
COVID-19 Vaccine Is Effective in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients and Is Not Associated With Disease Exacerbation. COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in IBD patients is comparable with that in non-IBD controls and is not influenced by treatment with TNF inhibitors or corticosteroids. The IBD exacerbation rate did not differ between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients. |
Empirical Second-Line Therapy in 5,000 Patients of the European Registry on Helicobacter pylori Management (Hp-EuReg). Empiric second-line regimens including 14-day quinolone triple therapies, 14-day levofloxacin-bismuth quadruple therapy, 14-day tetracycline-bismuth classic quadruple therapy, and 10-day bismuth quadruple therapy (as a single capsule) provided optimal effectiveness. However, many other second-line treatments evaluated reported low eradication rates. ClincialTrials.gov number NCT02328131. |
Food Insecurity is Associated With Mortality Among U.S. Adults With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Advanced Fibrosis. Food insecurity is significantly associated with greater all-cause mortality in adults with NAFLD and advanced fibrosis. Interventions that address food insecurity among adults with liver disease should be prioritized to improve health outcomes in this population. |
Pregnancy Outcomes in Women With Autoimmune Hepatitis - A Nationwide Population-based Cohort Study With Histopathology. Maternal AIH was associated with a 5-fold higher odds of preterm birth, and cirrhosis at diagnosis did not add to the impact of AIH on preterm birth. Future studies are needed to understand how to reduce this risk. |
Prevalence of High-risk Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) in the United States: Results From NHANES 2017-2018. We estimate at least 2 million adults have high-risk NASH in the United States. Moreover, the prevalence of high-risk NASH among individuals with T2DM is higher, ranging between 8.7% and 22.5%, supporting the case for coordinated case-finding and management. |
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Barriers to Care in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma. 4 Prior studies have identified racial and ethnic differences in clinical factors, including receipt of HCC surveillance and tumor stage 5 ; however, few studies have examined differences in patient-reported barriers that may partly explain observed disparities. Understanding these data is essential to inform interventions to address and mitigate disparities. Therefore, we described patient-reported barriers to medical care and examined differences in barriers by race and ethnicity in a large, diverse population of patients newly diagnosed with HCC. |
Safety and Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines in Patients With Chronic Liver Diseases (CHESS-NMCID 2101): A Multicenter Study. Inactivated whole-virion SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are safe in patients with CLD. Patients with CLD had lower immunologic response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines than healthy population. The immunogenicity is similarly low in noncirrhotic CLD, compensated cirrhosis, and decompensated cirrhosis. |
Test Characteristics of Cross-sectional Imaging and Concordance With Endoscopy in Postoperative Crohn's Disease. Cross-sectional imaging is highly sensitive, but poorly specific, in detecting endoscopic disease activity and postoperative recurrence. Advanced radiographic disease correlates with endoscopic severity. Patients with radiographic activity in the absence of endoscopic recurrence may be at increased risk for future recurrence, and closer monitoring should be considered. |
Upadacitinib Was Efficacious and Well-tolerated Over 30 Months in Patients With Crohn's Disease in the CELEST Extension Study. Sustained long-term benefit at 30 months and further endoscopic improvements to month 24 were observed in patients with Crohn's disease receiving upadacitinib. Safety over 30 months was consistent with the known safety profile of upadacitinib. Clinicaltrials.gov ID no NCT02782663. |
| Endoscopy |
Beneficial effects of endoscopic screening on gastric cancer and its optimal screening interval: a population-based study. Endoscopic screening prevented GC occurrence and death and improved its prognosis in a population-based study. Repeated endoscopy enhanced the effectiveness, for which screening interval needs to be defined in conformity with the severity of gastric lesions. |
Endoscopic submucosal resection: a technique using novel devices for incision and resection of neoplastic lesions. Results demonstrated feasibility and excellent safety of ESR using two novel devices for en bloc resection of early gastrointestinal neoplasia. The technique offered relative technical ease and high efficacy. |
| Gastroenterology |
BZW1 Facilitates Glycolysis and Promotes Tumor Growth in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Through Potentiating eIF2a Phosphorylation. BZW1 is a key molecule in the internal ribosome entry site-dependent translation of HIF1a/c-Myc and plays crucial roles in the glycolysis of PDAC. BZW1 might serve as a therapeutic target for patients with pancreatic cancer. |
Docking Protein p130Cas Regulates Acinar to Ductal Metaplasia During Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Development and Pancreatitis. Our observations finally demonstrated that p130Cas acts downstream of Kras to boost the PI3K activity required for acinar to ductal metaplasia and subsequent tumor initiation. This demonstrates an unexpected driving role of p130Cas downstream of Kras through the PI3K/AKT, thus indicating a rational therapeutic strategy of targeting the PI3K pathway in tumors with high expression of p130Cas. |
Inadequate Rectal Pressure and Insufficient Relaxation and Abdominopelvic Coordination in Defecatory Disorders. Women with DDs and a modest proportion of healthy women had specific patterns of anorectal dysfunction, including inadequate rectal pressurization, anal relaxation, and abdominopelvic-rectoanal coordination. These observations may guide individualized therapy for DDs in the future. |
Inhibition of p53 sulfoconjugation prevents oxidative hepatotoxicity and acute liver failure. We have uncovered a previously unrecognized and p53-mediated role of PAPSS2 in controlling oxidative response. Inhibition of p53 sulfation may be explored for the clinical management of APAP overdose. |
Loss of Sucrase-Isomaltase Function Increases Acetate Levels and Improves Metabolic Health in Greenlandic Cohorts. These results suggest that sucrase-isomaltase constitutes a promising drug target for improvement of metabolic health, and that the health benefits are mediated by reduced dietary sucrose uptake and possibly also by higher levels of circulating acetate. |
N6-Methyladenosine Reader YTHDF1 Promotes ARHGEF2 Translation and RhoA Signaling in Colorectal Cancer. We identify a novel oncogenic epitranscriptome axis of YTHDF1-m 6 A-ARHGEF2, which regulates CRC tumorigenesis and metastasis. siRNA-delivering LNP drug validated the therapeutic potential of targeting this axis in CRC. |
Trends and Projections in National United States Health Care Spending for Gastrointestinal Malignancies (1996-2030). Total spending for GI cancers in the US is substantial and projected to increase. Expenditures are primarily driven by inpatient care for colorectal cancer, although per-capita spending trends differ by GI cancer type. |
| Gastrointest Endosc |
EUS imaging for the diagnosis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. For obese patients, EUS had a PPV of 89.7%; NPV was 75%. The finding of course echotexture on EUS had an accuracy of 79% for the diagnosis of grade 3 fibrosis or cirrhosis. EUS is a useful tool for the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis, particularly in obese patients in whom abdominal ultrasound has modest accuracy. |
| Gut |
Lactobacillus gallinarum modulates the gut microbiota and produces anti-cancer metabolites to protect against colorectal tumourigenesis. Objective Using faecal shotgun metagenomic sequencing, we identified the depletion of protects against intestinal tumourigenesis by producing protective metabolites that can promote apoptosis of CRC cells. |
| Hepatology |
A strategy of vascular-targeted therapy for liver fibrosis. Liver vascular changes occurred at very early stage of fibrogenesis. Different vessels play different roles in liver fibrosis. The combinational treatment of AAV9-LECT2-shRNA and bevacizumab could significantly improve the therapeutic effects on liver fibrosis. |
Autophagy Promotes Hepatic Cystogenesis in Polycystic Liver Disease via Depletion of Cholangiocyte Ciliogenic Proteins. The intersection between autophagy, defective cholangiocyte cilia, and enhanced hepatic cystogenesis contributes to PLD progression and can be considered a novel target for therapeutic interventions. |
Loss of bile salt export pump aggravates lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury in mice due to impaired hepatic endotoxin clearance. Absence of Bsep and cholestasis in general impair LPS clearance by a basolateral uptake block into hepatocytes and consequently less secretion into canaliculi. Impaired LPS removal aggravates hepatic inflammation in cholestasis. |
Mapping the conformational epitope of a therapeutic monoclonal antibody against HBsAg by in vivo selection of HBV escape variants. Selection of antibody-escape HBV variants in human chimeric mice works efficiently. Analysis of such emerging variants helps to identify anchor amino-acid residues of the conformational epitope that are difficult to discover by conventional approaches. |
Ultrasensitive and affordable assay for early detection of primary liver cancer using plasma cell-free DNA fragmentomics. Our model, outperforming previous reports at a lower cost by solely using low-coverage WGS data, exhibits excellent clinical potential for ultrasensitive and affordable detection of PLC and its subtypes. |
| Inflamm Bowel Dis |
Causal Association Between Atopic Dermatitis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A 2-Sample Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study. This study supports a causal effect between AD and IBD-but not between IBD and AD. There seems to be considerable differences between UC and CD regarding their specific associations with AD. These findings have implications for the management of IBD and AD in clinical practice. |
Decision Support Tool Identifies Ulcerative Colitis Patients Most Likely to Achieve Remission With Vedolizumab vs Adalimumab. Superiority of VDZ to ADA is dependent on baseline probability of response, and a VDZ-CDST is capable of identifying UC patients most appropriate for VDZ vs ADA. |
Development of a Personalized Intestinal Fibrosis Model Using Human Intestinal Organoids Derived From Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Increases in profibrotic gene expression (Col1a1, FN, TIMP1) along with genes associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (vimentin and N-cadherin) were observed in TGFß -treated epithelial cells. We demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing iPSC-HIO technology to model intestinal fibrotic responses in vitro. This now permits the generation of near unlimited quantities of patient-specific cells that could be used to reveal cell- and environmental-specific mechanisms underpinning intestinal fibrosis. |
Indications, postoperative management, and long-term prognosis of Crohn's disease after ileocecal resection: a multicentre study comparing the East and West. The main indication for ICR in CD patients is penetrating disease in HK patients and stricturing disease in NL patients. Although considerable pre- and post-operative management differences were observed between the two geographical areas, the long-term prognosis after ICR is similar. |
Predictors of Sustained Response With Tofacitinib Therapy in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis. Patients with greater clinical improvement after 8 weeks of tofacitinib induction therapy are more likely to maintain response or remission with tofacitinib regardless of dose received during maintenance, highlighting the importance of a robust response to induction therapy. |
Quantification of Mucosal Activity from Colonoscopy Reports via the Simplified Endoscopic Mucosal Assessment for Crohn's Disease. The SEMA-CD applied to retrospective evaluation of colonoscopy reports accurately and reproducibly correlates with SES-CD and SEMA-CD of colonoscopy videos. The SEMA-CD for evaluating colonoscopy reports will enable quantifying mucosal healing in retrospective research. Having objective outcome data will enable higher-quality research to be conducted across multicenter collaboratives and in clinical registries. External validation is needed. |
Risks of Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in China: A Retrospective Multicenter Cohort Study. The risk of IHD is increased in patients with IBD, especially in young female patients with IBD when compared to matched non-IBD subjects. CRP and plasma fibrinogen levels and neutrophil count in the peripheral blood may be potential predictors associated with the occurrence of IHD in patients with IBD. The study's findings have significant implications for the management and prevention of cardiac events in patients with IBD. |
Temporal changes in the treatment paradigm and long-term prognosis of patients with Crohn's disease: A hospital-based cohort study in China. IFX use was observed to increase as 5-ASA and corticosteroid use decreased. Additionally, hospitalization rates decreased following temporal changes in IFX management, yet the surgery and phenotype progression rates remained the same. |
| J Crohns Colitis |
microRNA and gut microbiota: Tiny but mighty - Novel insights of their crosstalk in inflammatory bowel disease pathogenesis and therapeutics. This review describes the latest research and suggests mechanisms through which miRNA and intestinal microbiota, as joint actors, may participate specifically in IBD pathophysiology. Furthermore, we discuss the diagnostic power and therapeutic potential resulting from their bidirectional communication after faecal transplantation, probiotics intake, anti-miRNAs or miRNA mimics administration. The current literature is summarized in the present work in a comprehensive manner hoping to provide a better understanding of the miRNA-microbiota crosstalk and to facilitate their application in IBD. |
| J Hepatol |
A structurally engineered fatty acid, icosabutate, suppresses liver inflammation and fibrosis in NASH. This results in a high extracellular concentration and allows icosabutate to avoid the worsening of hepatic oxidative stress seen in response to an unmodified omega-3 fatty acid. The structural changes also markedly improve anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic efficacy in a mouse model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). A hepatoprotective effect of icosabutate in patients with elevated circulating lipids at increased risk of NASH is also shown, where rapid reductions in markers of liver injury are observed. |
Clinical characteristics of antiepileptic-induced liver injury in patients from the DILIN prospective study. The frequency of AED-related liver injury significantly decreased over the last 2 decades in our experience. AED-related liver injury has several distinctive features, including a preponderance in African American patients and those with immunoallergic skin reactions, with outcomes depending on the type of AED involved. |
Histone acetylation of bile acid transporter genes plays a critical role in cirrhosis. Our data reveal a previously unrecognized function of MCRS1 as a critical histone acetylation regulator, maintaining gene expression and liver homeostasis. MCRS1 loss induces BA transporter acetylation, perturbation of BA flow, and consequently, FXR activation in HSCs. This axis represents a central and universal signaling event in liver cirrhosis, and targeting it would have significant implications for cirrhosis treatment. |
IL-26 inhibits hepatitis C virus replication in hepatocytes. These findings reveal a new role for IL-26 in direct protection against HCV infection, independently of the immune system, and increase our understanding of the antiviral defense mechanisms controlling HCV infection. Future studies should evaluate the possible use of IL-26 for treating other chronic disorders caused by RNA viruses, for which few treatments are currently available, or emerging RNA viruses. |
Long Non-Coding RNA ACTA2-AS1 Promotes Ductular Reaction by Interacting with the p300/ELK1 Complex. Cholangiocyte-selective p300 KO or p300 inhibition attenuate DR/fibrosis in mice. ACTA2-AS1 influences recruitment of p300/ELK1 to specific promoters to drive H3K27ac and epigenetic activation of proliferative/fibrogenic genes. This suggests that cooperation between epigenetic co-activators and lncRNAs facilitates DR/fibrosis in biliary diseases. |
Patient pIgR-enriched extracellular vesicles drive cancer stemness, tumorigenesis and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Within these oncogenic vesicles, we identified a key component that functions as a potent modulator of cancer aggressiveness. By inhibiting this functional component of EVs using a neutralizing antibody, tumor growth was profoundly attenuated in mice. The outcome of the study suggests an effective therapeutic alternative for cancer patients. |
| Liver Transpl |
Clinical Value of Surveillance Biopsies in Pediatric Liver Transplantation. Our experience suggests that SB in pediatric LT is safe, offers valuable information about subclinical rejection episodes, and can guide management of immunosuppression, including minimization. Improved outcomes with SB were likely multifactorial, potentially relating to a more favorable early posttransplant course and possible effect of management optimization through SB. Further multicenter studies are needed to examine the role of SBs on long-term outcomes in pediatric LT. |
Lower Alpha-Fetoprotein Threshold of 500 ng/mL for Liver Transplantation May Improve Posttransplant Outcomes in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma. In multivariable analysis, AFP =500 ng/mL at LT was associated with a greater risk of post-LT death (hazard ratio [HR], 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-2.1) and HCC recurrence (HR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.1) when compared with the AFP <100 ng/mL category; other significant variables included donor risk index, age, race/ethnicity, Child-Turcotte-Pugh class, and tumor diameter. Among AFP levels =500 ng/mL at LT, 40.4% had AFP levels =1000, but no difference in post-LT survival or recurrence was seen between those patients with AFP levels < or =1000 ng/mL. Mandating AFP <500 ng/mL at LT for al patients, not only for those with initial AFP levels =1000 ng/mL, may improve post-LT outcomes and can be considered in future UNOS policy. |
Survival Benefit of Split-Liver Transplantation for Pediatric and Adult Candidates. Among pediatric candidates =7 kg, split liver offer acceptance versus decline was associated with a 63% reduction in mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], [P = 0.005]; 92.2% versus 84.4% 1-year survival after decision). Within 1 year of decline for adult candidates, 7.9% died and 39.3% received a WLT. Accepting split liver offers for SLT could significantly improve survival for small children and adults on the waiting list. |
| Neurogastroenterol Motil |
Application of a RiboTag-based approach to generate and analyze mRNA from enteric neural cells. We present a robust and selective protocol that allows the generation of cell type-specific transcriptional in vivo snapshots of distinct enteric cell populations that will be especially useful for various intestinal disease models involving peripheral neural cells. |
Autoimmune and viral risk factors are associated with achalasia: A case-control study. These findings suggest that achalasia may have autoimmune and viral components contributing to its etiology. Future mechanistic studies could target specific diseases and agents highlighted by this research. |
Single-cell RNA sequencing predicts motility networks in purified human gastric interstitial cells of Cajal. The scRNA-seq data for these two cell clusters predicted protein interaction networks consistent with immune cell and ICC biology, respectively. The single-cell transcriptome of purified KIT+ CD45- CD11B- human gastric ICC presented here provides new molecular insights and hypotheses into evolving models of GI motility. This knowledge will provide an improved framework to investigate targeted therapies for GI motility disorders. |
The role of vagal innervation on the early development of postoperative ileus in mice. and interferences Afferent nerve signaling to the central nervous system during the development of early POI seems to be mediated mainly via the vagus nerve and to a lesser degree via systemic circulation. During the early hours of POI, the intestinal immune response may be attenuated by vagal modulation, suggesting interactions between the central nervous system and the intestine. |
Plenty of the editorials are available as full text through the publisher website using the provided link
| Aliment Pharmacol Ther |
Review article: current and future treatment approaches for IBS with constipation. A brief discussion of agents in development with novel mechanisms of action is also provided. Results/conclusions Quality of life and symptom metrics should be standardized and continue to be represented in future IBS-C trials. The choice of agent should be tailored to probability of improving symptoms, safety, tolerability, and cost. |
Review Article: Current and future treatment approaches for IBS with diarrhoea (IBS-D) and IBS mixed pattern (IBS-M). The treatment of IBS-D/M ideally involves a multidisciplinary approach of primary care, gastroenterologist and psychologist. Treatment often involves both non-pharmacological and pharmacological therapies. Future therapies may include faecal microbial transplant, Crofelemer and serotonin antagonists, but further studies are needed. |
Review article: Diagnosis and investigation of irritable bowel syndrome. Testing for bile acid diarrhoea should be considered for patients with IBS with diarrhoea where available. Hydrogen breath tests for lactose malabsorption or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth have no role in the routine assessment of suspected IBS. Adopting a standardised approach to the diagnosis and investigation of IBS will help to promote high-quality and high-value care for patients overall. |
Review article: epidemiology of IBS and other bowel disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI). When the results of multiple studies, conducted over a long period of time, using different diagnostic criteria and different research methodology, and involving different study populations are pooled to determine a single summary prevalence rate it is difficult to interpret the results and to determine their reliability and significance. This pitfall is insufficiently recognised and unfortunate because prevalence rates are important for understanding the burden of disease, for allocating healthcare and research resources, and for incentivising and prioritising new treatments. The aims of the present paper are to highlight our knowledge and understanding of IBS epidemiology within the context of other DGBI, and to present strategies to improve epidemiological research, especially in advance of the new Rome V criteria, to be published in 2026. |
Review article: irritable bowel syndrome: natural history, bowel habit stability and overlap with other gastrointestinal disorders. It is of clinical importance to recognise the substantial overlap of IBS symptoms with other gastrointestinal syndromes including gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. This is important to ensure the correct clinical diagnosis of IBS is made and patients are not over investigated. Knowledge of the natural history, stability of subgroups and overlap of IBS with other gastrointestinal conditions should be considered in therapeutic decision making. |
Review article: Physical and psychological comorbidities associated with irritable bowel syndrome. The common extraintestinal comorbidities associated with IBS include anxiety, depression, somatisation, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pelvic pain, interstitial cystitis, sexual dysfunction and sleep disturbance. The presence of comorbidity in IBS poses a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge with patients frequently undergoing unnecessary investigations and interventions, including surgery. This review discusses the different physical and psychological comorbidities associated with IBS, the shared pathophysiological mechanisms and potential management strategies. |
Review article: the patients' experience with irritable bowel syndrome and their search for education and support. The author concluded that effective patient education can improve the patient-provider relationship and health outcomes. The author also provides info-graphics and a listing of vetted, scientifically backed educational resources for patients to utilize for self management. |
| Am J Clin Nutr |
| Gastroenterology |
Stem Cells, Helicobacter pylori, and Mutational Landscape: Utility of Preclinical Models to Understand Carcinogenesis and to Direct Management of Gastric Cancer. Second, insights into how H pylori colonizes gastric glands, directly interacts with stem cells, and alters cellular and genomic integrity, as well as the characterization of tissue responses to infection, provide a comprehensive picture of how this bacterium contributes to gastric carcinogenesis. Third, the development of stem cell- and tissue-specific reporter mice have driven our understanding of the signals and mutations that promote different types of GC and now also enable the study of more advanced, metastasized stages. Finally, organoids from human tissue have allowed insights into gastric carcinogenesis by validating mutational and signaling alterations in human primary cells and opening a route to predicting responses to personalized treatment. |
| Gastrointest Endosc |
| Hepatology |
Hepatic fibrosis 2022: Unmet needs and a blueprint for the future. More urgently, digital pathology methods that leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence must be validated in order to capture more prognostic information from liver biopsies and better quantify the response to therapies. For more refined treatment of NASH, orthogonal approaches that integrate genetic, clinical, and pathological data sets may yield treatments for specific subphenotypes of the disease. Collectively, these and other advances will strengthen and streamline clinical trials and better link histologic responses to clinical outcomes. |
| J Hepatol |
Letters to the editors and authors’ replies
| Aliment Pharmacol Ther |
| Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol |
| Gastroenterology |
| Hepatology |
| J Hepatol |
all remaining publications eg case reports, images of the month, etc…
| Am J Gastroenterol |
| Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol |
| Endoscopy |
| Gastroenterology |
| Gastrointest Endosc |
| Hepatology |
| Inflamm Bowel Dis |
| J Hepatol |
| Liver Transpl |